Understanding Your Yarn

Hi! My hope in writing this post is to help others understand a little more about yarn.

Selecting yarn is an important step in working your next project. Yes, it's easy to just follow the yarn recommendation on the pattern.  But sometimes you don't like the yarn option. When that happens, what do you do?  After reading this you will have the answers and the courage to select your own yarn choice for the pattern.

The correct weight of the yarn makes all the difference to a project and there is so much to know before choosing the right one. 

Yarn comes in a variety of thickness, colors, and textures. You may ask  yourself, why and what does it all mean? 

Some yarns make it easy by referencing a number on the label. Examples: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 in the descriptions. These numbers are based on the ply count of the yarn. They also associate each number with a description like: sock, finger, worsted, DK, or bulky weights. (See picture below where it shows worsted weight #4.)

How do you keep all this information straight and understand it?  The chart below should help. Note: the lower the ply count, the lower the number reference, the thinner the yarn will be. The information in the chart gives you the project you might work with the yarn as well. (Ex: fingering weight yarn = #1 = socks). There is additional information as well to help knitters and crocheters.

Something to keep in mind. If you were to go into a knitting store (a store solely selling yarn) you won't see these numbers. In fact, you will see other information like grams and ounces, along with stitch count. You may or may not see in the description worsted or sock yarn. So it's more detailed and a bit more confusing. If you learn the chart above and shop yarn by touching and feeling it it will start to make since. And when it comes to understanding yardage you will have to convert the grams into yards. There is a tip below to help with that.

Go to this website to convert grams into yardage. www.convertunits.com  Be hands on when shopping and after shopping for a while you will catch on to identifying sock yarn verses bulky yarn.  

I also find it helpful to save the labels from the yarns you have already used.  This helps you to find yarns similar or the same brand if you know you liked it.  You will start to build a library of yarn information that can help you each time to go shopping. It's kinda funny to say this, but the more you shop the more you learn. 

Please let me know if you found this helpful by commenting below. Go ahead and take a screen shot of the chart above or print it out for your next trip to purchase yarn.  

Happy Knitting and Crocheting!!!